On October 6, Google plans to introduce a number of Pixel devices.
On October 6, Google will host a product event that seems like it will be jam-packed with new gadgets, including smartphones and smartwatches.
The Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro will be fully unveiled on October 6 according to the corporation, which has already confirmed this. The Google Pixel Watch, the company’s first smartwatch and a possible challenger to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5, will probably join those phones.
Already, we have a general sense of what to anticipate. The Google Pixel 6’s camera bar style will carry over to the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, according to a design peek from Google. We’ve also seen a few glances of the Pixel Watch, which so far appears to have a lovely rounded appearance and come with what is probably Google’s ideal implementation of Wear OS.
But questions about all three products remain, such as their capabilities, more details about their specs, and price and release dates. Read on for everything you need to know about as well as what to expect from the Google October event.
How to watch the Google October event
The Google October event livestream will take place on October 6 at 7 a.m. PT / 10 a.m. ET / 3 p.m. BST.
You may see it on YouTube or the Google Store. Although there isn’t a placeholder video for the event yet, Google has other videos previewing products like the Pixel 7 Pro . You may also receive updates and announcements from the Made By Google account on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram if you use social media.
What to expect from the Google October event
We’re expecting to see at least three products from Google: a pair of new Pixel flagship phones, and the Pixel Watch. Both of these have been teased considerably over the past few months, but we’ll finally get the lowdown of each device’s specs and features.
But there’s always scope for Google to announce more, whether it’s a new price for the Google Pixel Buds Pro or Nest products, so here’s what we think you’ll see at the Google October event.
Leading the hardware charge for Google, we can expect a no-holds-barred look at the Google Pixel 7. From the images Google has shared so far it looks like a minor evolution over the Pixel 6, with the same rectangular camera bar, only with a more distinct pill shaped module for the main and ultrawide cameras, rather than a more invisible visor-like look the Pixel 6 has.
If the reports are true, a more compact design may also be in the works. Google hasn’t shown the display, but we anticipate it will be 6.4 inches and maybe include reduced display bezels that give the screen a bit more breathing room.
Google has already announced colors for the Pixel 7: Obsidian, Lemongrass and Snow. That’s black, lime green and white for those of you who don’t speak marketing.
We also know the Google Pixel 7 will be powered by the Tensor G2 chip, which is a second-generation take on the Tensor chip first seen in the Pixel 6 phone and also the Pixel 6a.
The Tensor chip drove several intelligent capabilities on the Pixel 6 phones, despite not being the most powerful system-on-a-chip in terms of raw power. Therefore, the Tensor G2 in the Pixel 7 may be expected to perform similarly, with Google likely to provide even more intelligent capabilities to give the phone an advantage over rivals like the iPhone 14 Pro and Galaxy S22.
Although the Pixel 7’s price and official release date are unknown, we anticipate it to be about the same price as the $599 Pixel 6. The Pixel 7 will also be available for pre-order on October 6, the day of the launch event, according to Google.
The Pixel 7 Pro is mostly the same story as the standard Pixel 7, in that it’s set to be an evolution of the Pixel 6 Pro, with a tweaked camera bar seemingly mixing the main and ultrawide camera in one pill-shaped module and the telephoto camera in a separate unit.
Speaking of cameras, we’ve not heard much in terms of hardware upgrades for the Pixel 7 Pro’s lenses or sensors. But as Google, like Apple, tends to push its sensors for several years before upgrading, we’re not expecting any major changes here as Google only moved from a 12-megapixel main camera to a 50MP one with the Pixel 6 range. What we can expect is for the Tensor G2 chip to power smarter camera features and improved computational photography to deliver photos that really stand out from rivals on our best camera phones list.
Again Google hasn’t shown off the display of the Pixel 7 Pro, but we reckon it’ll stick with the 6.71-inch display seen in the Pixel 6 Pro, perhaps with a dynamic refresh rate that can scale down from 120Hz to 1Hz to help save on battery life. There’s an outside chance that Google’s reticence to show the screen could be down to it having some special feature, say an under-display front-facing camera, but we’re not convinced by that theory.
Colors for the Pixel 7 Pro have been confirmed to be Obsidian, Hazel and Snow. So expect a rather muted look to the flagship phone. And pricing has yet to be confirmed, but we assume it would follow on from the Pixel 6 Pro’s $899 price tag. Pre-orders begin October 6, the same as with the Pixel 7.
Likely to be one of the most interesting products of the Google October event, the Pixel Watch will be Google’s first foray into smartwatch hardware. And if it’s anything like previous Pixel devices, it’ll showcase the best possible version — in Google’s eyes at least — of Wear OS.
But unlike the Pixel 7 phones, Google has been more tight-lipped about the Pixel Watch. Sure, we’ve seen its rather attractive design and Google has noted there’ll be closer Fitbit services integration and a “new Wear OS experience” but what that’ll look like remains a mystery.
According to the current leaks and rumours, we anticipate an LTE model, a variety of watch bands, and either a Samsung Exynos or Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear CPU. Other than that, it’s unclear what features the Pixel Watch will have hidden behind its spherical face.
Rather than expect a deluge of special features like blood oxygen monitoring, we figure the Pixel Watch will be pitched as the perfect companion device for other Pixel products, seemingly synchronizing with the Pixel phones, Pixel Buds and Google Nest smart home tech. Equally, we’d be prepared for Google to have some surprise up its sleeve for the Pixel Watch.
Though it’s far from official, $349 has emerged as the starting price for the Pixel Watch in pricing speculations. Some reports state that November may be the estimated release date for the Pixel Watch.
Promotional images for the Pixel hardware showcase not only feature the Pixel 7 phone and the Pixel Watch but also a pair of Google Pixel Buds Pro.
Now these wireless earbuds were released in the summer, so they’re too new for a hardware refresh. But we’d not be massively surprised if Google didn’t announce new features for the Pixel Buds Pro that are enabled via the Tensor G2 chip and smart synchronization with the Pixel Watch, say using the Watch’s GPS to cleverly tweak active noise cancellation levels to suit the environment a wearer is in.
Or perhaps we could see a surprise price drop to enable the Pixel Buds Pro to better compete with some of the best wireless earbuds you can buy today.
There are reports that new Google Nest items will be unveiled during the Google October event, even if Pixel products are expected to steal the show. The possibility of a new Google Nest router, which has already been hinted at, combined with software upgrades for devices like the Nest Home Hub wouldn’t surprise us.
Considering that Google hasn’t produced a new Nest Home Hub in a while, it’s possible that a third-generation device will be unveiled. However, we haven’t heard any rumours to support that, and it’s more probable that updates would take the shape of software.
We’d also not be surprised to hear about updates for various Chromecast devices, likely with tighter integration between them and the Pixel phones, as well as dedicated Chromecast app or watch faces for the Pixel Watch.
Google October event outlook
We know quite a bit about what’s coming for the Google October event, but that’s not to say Google won’t have some surprises up its sleeve.
While design of the Pixel 7 phones and Pixel Watch have pretty much been revealed, there’s a lot more to hear about their capabilities. And we’d expect to be intrigued by a host of new software features for these devices that harness the strength of Google’s AI and smart progressing work.
In short, the Google October event is going to be one to watch. Rest assured we’ll be on point to bring you the latest news and any early impressions of the hardware as the event unfolds.